As a Christian: do you believe we exist beyond the death of our physical body?

[YahuahSaves]

Updated: the poll didn't publish in the original thread.

I'm interested to know how many Christians believe in an afterlife? I thought it would be interesting to spin-off from my thread Here

My Grandmother was Christian and believed when we die we go to the grave until resurrection. I was taught this, but I've had too many experiences to accept this is 100% accurate. The Hebrew word Sheol has different meanings that was the result of changes over the centuries.

P.s. if you think I need to add another answer to the poll let me know. I put down the most relevant.

 

[timothyu]

I would like to believe what the Jews thank God for returning to their bodies when they awake, is what goes on after the body stops running on life.. But what purpose would it serve until we awake at the resurrection?

 

[YahuahSaves]

I would like to believe what the Jews thank God for returning to their bodies when they awake, is what goes on after the body stops running on life.. But what purpose would it serve until we awake at the resurrection?

So no existence beyond death until the resurrection in your opinion? Have you read my thread HERE ? What do you think of the scriptures mentioned?

 

[Mark Quayle]

The question assumes a solid default reality to this temporal existence, as though all future fact is also dependent on continuing time. Try to imagine all this time from the beginning to the end, as a tiny parenthesis in the larger economy of God's reality. I think it is more than likely that the dead experience no passage of time. From the moment they are gone, they are suddenly consciously in Heaven, (or Hell, or being caught up with him in the air), or perhaps at the Judgement, complete and in their resurrected body. We may see Abraham, Elijah, and even Adam, "arriving as we arrive".

There are a lot of reasons to think of it that way —it answers a lot of questions, and fits God's nature better than any other I have been able to consider. But I also have to admit that for all that we are capable of imagining or understanding, the truth of God's nature is most likely quite a bit more strange and solid than we can know. I've had atheists and others that object to Christianity ask, if God is omnipotent, why didn't he just speak the finished product, the reality of Heaven and Hell, into immediate existence, instead of running through all this many thousands (or billions, if you wish) of years to get there. My answer is, maybe he did! We just don't see it that way as yet.


I think there are many things written in the Bible the way they are because there is no better way to describe it to time-dependent humans (and no that doesn't mean they are not quite true). If our minds need something to be occurring to the dead until the resurrection, then the Bible is not lying to 'deal with us where we are at' —to speak to us according to our mindset and vocabulary.

 

[YahuahSaves]

The question assumes a solid default reality to this temporal existence, as though all future fact is also dependent on continuing time. Try to imagine all this time from the beginning to the end, as a tiny parenthesis in the larger economy of God's reality. I think it is more than likely that the dead experience no passage of time. From the moment they are gone, they are suddenly consciously in Heaven, (or Hell, or being caught up with him in the air), or perhaps at the Judgement, complete and in their resurrected body. We may see Abraham, Elijah, and even Adam, "arriving as we arrive".

There are a lot of reasons to think of it that way —it answers a lot of questions, and fits God's nature better than any other I have been able to consider. But I also have to admit that for all that we are capable of imagining or understanding, the truth of God's nature is most likely quite a bit more strange and solid than we can know. I've had atheists and others that object to Christianity ask, if God is omnipotent, why didn't he just speak the finished product, the reality of Heaven and Hell, into immediate existence, instead of running through all this many thousands (or billions, if you wish) of years to get there. My answer is, maybe he did! We just don't see it that way as yet.


I think there are many things written in the Bible the way they are because there is no better way to describe it to time-dependent humans (and no that doesn't mean they are not quite true). If our minds need something to be occurring to the dead until the resurrection, then the Bible is not lying to 'deal with us where we are at' —to speak to us according to our mindset and vocabulary.

OK...not sure where you stand just reading your post. Are you saying we can't be sure? Shall I add this answer to the poll?

 

[Mark Quayle]

OK...not sure where you stand just reading your post. Are you saying we can't be sure? Shall I add this answer to the poll?

As your question is phrased, I don't see my answer fitting the poll. You seem to require a reality for the dead (whether conscious or not) to undergo the passage of time that we do until our death. I don't think that is the way God sees it at all.

 

[Tuur]

Updated: the poll didn't publish in the original thread.

I'm interested to know how many Christians believe in an afterlife? I thought it would be interesting to spin-off from my thread Here

My Grandmother was Christian and believed when we die we go to the grave until resurrection. I was taught this, but I've had too many experiences to accept this is 100% accurate. The Hebrew word Sheol has different meanings that was the result of changes over the centuries.

P.s. if you think I need to add another answer to the poll let me know. I put down the most relevant.

Resurrection counts as an afterlife, and the resurrection of the dead is a core doctrine of Christianity. The question seems to be does the soul continue to exist. I believe yes, for both Jesus promised the thief that he would be with Him in Paradise, and Paul wrote that to be absent of the body is to be in the presence of Christ. We can get into arguments about the concept of soul sleep, but to sleep does not mean we cease to exist.

 

[YahuahSaves]

As your question is phrased, I don't see my answer fitting the poll. You seem to require a reality for the dead (whether conscious or not) to undergo the passage of time that we do until our death. I don't think that is the way God sees it at all.

I didn't ask how God sees it, I asked how you view it as a Christian. Tell me what answer you would like added. If it's Scriptural, I'll add it.

 

[YahuahSaves]

Resurrection counts as an afterlife, and the resurrection of the dead is a core doctrine of Christianity. The question seems to be does the soul continue to exist. I believe yes, for both Jesus promised the thief that he would be with Him in Paradise, and Paul wrote that to be absent of the body is to be in the presence of Christ. We can get into arguments about the concept of soul sleep, but to sleep does not mean we cease to exist.

Interesting answer... did you participate in the poll or is there an answer you would like me to add? I would like your opinion on my other thread HERE (if you don't mind)

 

[Tuur]

Interesting answer... did you participate in the poll or is there an answer you would like me to add? I would like your opinion on my other thread HERE (if you don't mind)

Yes, I voted in the poll.

 

[Mark Quayle]

I didn't ask how God sees it, I asked how you view it as a Christian. Tell me what answer you would like added. If it's Scriptural, I'll add it.

God's way of seeing it is the only real way, in the end. As a Christian I try to see things how he does, even though I know it is impossible for me to see it completely as he does. And yes, I can easily be way off track.

 

[YahuahSaves]

God's way of seeing it is the only real way, in the end. As a Christian I try to see things how he does, even though I know it is impossible for me to see it completely as he does. And yes, I can easily be way off track.

People within the Christian faith hold differing views and all of the views (the grave/hell/afterlife/heaven) are all biblical concepts, but most people only hold one view. Which one is yours?

 

[Mark Quayle]

People within the Christian faith hold differing views and all of the views (the grave/hell/afterlife/heaven) are all biblical concepts, but most people only hold one view. Which one is yours?

Mine is that there is no passage of time relevant to the passage from death to life. It is only our temporal thinking that demands it. I think the "place of the dead" is a construction of the human mind, for ease of dealing with the question. However, I admit I could be wrong. I myself see certain objections to what I believe.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

No, we go to the grave until resurrection - Our body does, and our spirit goes to be with the Lord until our body is resurrected.
Yes, we enter another plane of existence to await resurrection - There is no other plane of existence, we just go to another place in this one.
Yes, after physical death we're judged and sent to either heaven or hell - Sounds right... until the resurrection.

 

[DarylFawcett]

Psalms 146:4 says, "His breath goes forth, he returns to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish."

This Bible verse clearly tells me that when a person dies he stops breathing and his thoughts perish until his thoughts begin again when he is resurrected. As far as time goes, he isn't conscious of the passing of time between his death and his resurrection, therefore, his resurrection will seem to be less than a second away from the time of his death.

 

[Blade]

Weeeell whats written? Jesus said to the thief today you will be with me in paradise. We know its also written "we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."

Death for us you won't notice it. Its like walking through a door and you just have your eyes open.

 

[DarylFawcett]

Weeeell whats written? Jesus said to the thief today you will be with me in paradise. We know its also written "we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."

Death for us you won't notice it. Its like walking through a door and you just have your eyes open.

Are you, therefore, saying that the Bible contradicts itself?

 

[eleos1954]

Updated: the poll didn't publish in the original thread.

I'm interested to know how many Christians believe in an afterlife

I thought it would be interesting to spin-off from my thread Here

My Grandmother was Christian and believed when we die we go to the grave until resurrection. I was taught this, but I've had too many experiences to accept this is 100% accurate. The Hebrew word Sheol has different meanings that was the result of changes over the centuries.

P.s. if you think I need to add another answer to the poll let me know. I put down the most relevant.

I'm interested to know how many Christians believe in an afterlife?

of course Christians believe there's an afterlife (after earthly life) .... but it don't take place until Jesus returns.

We are not inheritly immortal .... His word is clear immortality don't happen until He returns. Your grandmother was correct.

one can not rely on "experiences" ... we are to rely on His written word.

Paul sum's it up nicely here ....

1 Thessalonians 4


The Return of the Lord

13Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death,c so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope. 14For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.

15By the word of the Lord, we declare to you that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise. 17After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.

18Therefore encourage one another with these words.

we are NOT immortal ....

1st Corinthians 15:54

Updated: the poll didn't publish in the original thread.

I'm interested to know how many Christians believe in an afterlife? I thought it would be interesting to spin-off from my thread Here

My Grandmother was Christian and believed when we die we go to the grave until resurrection. I was taught this, but I've had too many experiences to accept this is 100% accurate. The Hebrew word Sheol has different meanings that was the result of changes over the centuries.

P.s. if you think I need to add another answer to the poll let me know. I put down the most relevant.

of course Christians believe there's an afterlife (after earthly life) .... but it don't take place until Jesus returns.

We are not inheritly immortal .... His word is clear immortality don't happen until He returns. Your grandmother was correct.

one can not rely on "experiences" ... we are to rely on His written word.

Paul sum's it up nicely here ....

1 Thessalonians 4


The Return of the Lord

13Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope. 14For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.

15By the word of the Lord, we declare to you that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise. 17After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.

18Therefore encourage one another with these words.

we are NOT immortal ....

1st Corinthians 15:54

King James Bible
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

This "idea" we have a disembodied "spirit" that goes to heaven (or anyplace else) is from the original lie of the devil.

Genesis 3:4

King James Bible
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

 

[Aaron112]

My Grandmother was Christian and believed when we die we go to the grave until resurrection. I was taught this, but I've had too many experiences to accept this is 100% accurate.

Do you believe Timothy trusted his grandmother and his mother ?

They were faithful and true in their faith in the Almighty and the Messiah.

Most people on earth who are religious don't accept God's Word as Truth, saying ?'they say'? that their experiences, or their man-made doctrines, give them a "better"? /different?/ way of thinking that the Father's Revelation does, or maybe just "easier" without having conflict with those promoting what is contrary to God's Word ?

 

[eleos1954]

Do you believe Timothy trusted his grandmother and his mother ?

They were faithful and true in their faith in the Almighty and the Messiah.

Most people on earth who are religious don't accept God's Word as Truth, saying ?'they say'? that their experiences, or their man-made doctrines, give them a "better"? /different?/ way of thinking that the Father's Revelation does, or maybe just "easier" without having conflict with those promoting what is contrary to God's Word ?

Do you believe Timothy trusted his grandmother and his mother ?

I dunno .... ask him.

Being asleep in the grave is not contrary to God's Word.